New Touch Rugby sessions for all

Julie Magee

Are you aged 15 or over and want to get fit and have plenty of fun at the same time?

If so then the first of six consecutive Clitheroe Touch Rugby Series sessions, all of which are free to all and for both sexes, starts on Thursday, June 8th, on Clitheroe Castle field between 7 to 8-30pm (meet near the Eshton Terrace entrance).

The series has been organised by Clitheroe Rugby Club as a way of attempting to bring more people into an informal sport that’s growing both nationally and around the world. Touch, as a sport, has developed from rugby but rather than tackling and all the intricacies of the full blown contact game, touch is a simple, energetic non-contact game that is suitable for all fitness levels, from the beginner to the seasoned player.

In actual fact, touch is one of sport’s best kept secrets. It’s an extremely effective means of improving cardiovascular fitness, strength, coordination, speed of movement and agility. Not only that, it’s a perfect way to make fitness fun in an often mixed social setting, making it a great way to meet others. There’s no tackling, scrums, rucks, mauls, kicking and line outs, which means that each game of touch is one full-on burst of energy.

Clitheroe Rugby Club is growing in a manner ways. For the seniors, the 1sts have been promoted following a superb season and are again finalists in cup whilst the 2nds won promotion last season and have consolidated their place in the higher league this season. In the junior section, club members have never seen such large numbers across a number of age groups from six to 16. Finally, after seeing a start to ladies' rugby in the Ribble Valley in recent seasons, the club is currently setting up to grow ladies' rugby from next season.

It’s been recognised that surprisingly few people are aware that we have a rugby club in the town, despite the club being formed in 1977 and being resident at Littlemoor for 40 years as of the 16/17 season. That said, rather than having the sessions at Littlemoor, the club have kindly been given permission by Ribble Valley Borough Council to use the castle field in the belief that it will make the sessions much more accessible to allow people to just turn up and play.

People can pick up the rules in a matter of five minutes and club members will be splitting up the experienced and the not-so-experienced to ensure everyone gets good competition. Those interested in having a go are advised to simply consider the weather then just bring along the sort of kit they might wear to the gym or if they were going out for a run. Everyone will get a warm welcome at Touch series sessions, even if they come along on their own. They sessions are planned to be sociable, inclusive and the perfect opportunity to run out with old friends, or make new ones, whilst getting fit in the process.

People can just turn up on the night or for more details email touch@clitheroerugby.com. Information is also available on Facebook under Clitheroe Touch Rugby or on Twitter @clitheroerugby